What was the legal status of escaped enslaved people in the northwest territory?

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 appeared to outlaw slavery, which meant that slavery was not allowed in the Northwest Territory. However, the passage of the Fugitive Slave Laws meant that slaves who escaped from one state to another one would have to be returned to their owners, even if found in a free state. Therefore, escaped enslaved people in the Northwest Territory were not necessarily considered to be free.

i receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. it is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations — that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

this is a way. : )

council members were chosen randomly, and men could present laws for debate in assembly.